What do you charge friends for oil changes?

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Lately I've been charging my friends $30 for a full synthetic change with filter and that's me providing the oil and filter. It's no hassle for me as far as tools, location and oil disposal. What do you guys charge? Currently none of them give a rats arse about oil choice so I use Supertech, Kirkland, or Havoline. Sometimes I'll dip into my better stash if I have an abundance. They all go by their OLM and nobody has anything extravagant (Corolla, Focus, etc.)
 
I change other peoples oil as little as possible. I do my household and my moms for free to help her out. That's it. Too much risk from me in my opinion.
 
A lot of my friends (most of them) are car nuts, but they just don't have a space to work on them. They will usually provide the oil/filter and I'll help them change it.
 
I give my mom and "right hand man" mechanic free oil 5W30/15W40 flavors


My mom has her mechanic change oil for $10
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Dave
 
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food... I have a driveway and garage, and most of my friends do not. I just do it in trade, and use on-sale oil I've hoarded (if available), and tell 'em to grab an oil filter and make a trip to the taco truck or Thai place down the street. If I provide the oil, they'll normally pick up an additional lunch or dinner later. Works for me.
 
I used to do a lot of work on cars for friends and family. I never charged a thing. Right up until I got blamed for a brake issue on a family member's truck. Naturally it turned out to be a failed master cylinder, and I had nothing to do with it. Same family member got his panties in a twist later on when he wanted me to do some work on that truck, and I had told him it was just best for both of us if he found someone else to do it.

I suppose if the friend brought the oil and filter I wouldn't have a problem walking him through changing his own oil.
 
Nothing. I tell them I do it for the parts cost (which I buy and it's usually Amazon or Meijer synthetic and a Fram), and they always bring drinks or food to share, unasked for.
 
I won't offer to do it for anyone (unless I knew they had circumstances where they could use some help). If someone asked, I'd just tell them to supply the stuff and not ask for money. Buy a pizza for my family ? Fine with that.

Reason I don't offer is like someone else said. No matter who it is, you can get some people who blame you for other things because you're the last person that touched it. I quit fixing people's computers for the same reason. One guy paid me to 'clean' his PC of virii, malware, etc. Two weeks later, his mouse physically died (hardware) and he asked me "what did I do that caused that?".
 
That's cool you guys do it for free. Later on in life when my kids aren't around I will probably do that. I didn't think $30 was all that much for a properly done job with full synthetic. Some guys try to give me more $ but I don't take it. I like the food idea
 
Originally Posted by jayjr1105
I didn't think $30 was all that much for a properly done job with full synthetic.
You're practically doing the labor, disposing the old oil, etc for free. Well, next to nothing.... I guess Supertech is what, $16, and $5-6 for a filter. That leaves $9 for your labor. They know they're going to pay $40-50 or more at a shop.
 
Originally Posted by hallstevenson
I won't offer to do it for anyone (unless I knew they had circumstances where they could use some help). If someone asked, I'd just tell them to supply the stuff and not ask for money. Buy a pizza for my family ? Fine with that.

Reason I don't offer is like someone else said. No matter who it is, you can get some people who blame you for other things because you're the last person that touched it. I quit fixing people's computers for the same reason. One guy paid me to 'clean' his PC of virii, malware, etc. Two weeks later, his mouse physically died (hardware) and he asked me "what did I do that caused that?".


Well put and exactly how I feel. I only help people who really need the help and/or whom I truly trust.

I'm by no means a skilled mechanic, but I've been curious (and broke enough at one point) to learn the basics, and then help others or pass on my knowledge to other new DIY guys. I also knew these people well and felt reasonably sure they wouldn't blame me should something unrelated go wrong. I haven't really helped anyone recently, though. Mostly everyone around me has moved up in life and have chosen to pay someone else to do their work. Neither they nor those of us who are more handy tend to have schedules that match up, anyway. It's unfortunate, because doing simple jobs for people who really appreciate the help was incredibly rewarding. Receiving praise like you're some genius after a simple brake job was always nice.

When I was in the Navy I'd also help out around the hobby shop to earn free lift time (and because it was fun and I usually learned something, too). In those instances, instead of taking over or being super hands-on, I would simply point things out, offer advice, and let others do their own work. One thing I shared more than anything else was providing the answer to: how hard can I hit/pull/bend this thing to free it up. LOL. Most people doing their own work for the first time were usually too dainty with the tools, fasteners and parts, thinking they might break easily.
 
I just did one for a friend Monday night. I charge nothing. He brings me beer, the oil and filter. I do it for any friends who want me to. I hate seeing them pay $100 for synthetic oil changes.
 
I don't like to work on anyone's roadgoing vehicles. If anything happens to anything on the vehicle, I don't want to be "responsible"
 
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Originally Posted by Miller88
I don't like to work on anyone's roadgoing vehicles. If anything happens to anything on the vehicle, I don't want to be "responsible"


This. I'll do it for my family, anybody else no way.
 
Nothing to change there oil and filter. Granted, they supply the oil and filter. Its only a handful of Family and close friends that I help out with this service. I also take the oil to get recycled for them. Little things in life!!!
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I work on lots of family and friends vehicles. They pay for the parts and I insist they hang around and watch and help while I explain what I am doing and the reason. I want these people to have some ownership and understand the time I am giving them and why they are charged when they seek out a garage/dealership for repairs.
 
I haven't done an OC for a friend in a while, but I just gave my bud a couple of jugs of RGT 5W-20 from my AZ clearance stash. I got it for free anyways.
 
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